UC Irvine clawed its way back from an early deficit to go down to the wire in its NCAA First Round match at Avery Aquatics Center, but could not come away with the victory falling, 6-5, to fourth-seeded Cal Friday evening.

The No. 5 University of Hawai'i women's water polo team (18-9)fell to No. 3 USC (23-5), Friday afternoon at the Avery Aquatic Center on the campus of Stanford University in the First Round of the NCAA Championships. UH is set to face Princeton, Saturday at Noon PT in hopes of advancing to the fifth-place match on Sunday.